While celebrating her 19th birthday last week, University of North Carolina Wilmington student Laniah Ashley took a gamble and purchased her very first lotto card—and she won a whopping sum!

The first-year biology major, who aspires to eventually attend medical school, dropped $20 on a 100x The Cash scratch-off ticket after celebrating with her grandparents in her hometown of Clinton, North Carolina.

“It was my first time ever buying a ticket. I thought the colors on the ticket looked pretty, so I chose that one,” Ashley said.

After scratching through the ticket at her grandparents’ house, Ashley had the experience that every lotto player dreams of securing a big turnaround. Specifically, this college student‘s $20 purchase resulted in her winning a whopping $100,000.

“I kept looking at the numbers and reading the rules over and over again. I was too stunned to speak,” she recalled.

“At first, I kept it to myself because I didn’t want to sound crazy. I was too excited to believe it was true,” Ashley added.

After state and federal taxes were deducted, the lucky student walked away with a total of $71,106. Ashley says that this money will fund her educational journey and help to support her grandparents.

While winning $100,000 (before taxes) through the lottery is a celebratory feat in itself, it’s safe to say that Ashley winning on her birthday after purchasing her first-ever ticket adds an extra bit of flair to the experience.

This news comes about three years after a woman from nearby Virginia won the lottery a jaw-dropping 30 times in one single day, as Blavity previously reported. Deborah Brown of Richmond memorably bought 30 Pick-4 tickets for $30, and every single ticket wound up being a winner. Overall, Brown won $5,000 on each ticket, which totaled to $150,000.

You know what they say: you have to play to win!

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